Today we're shining a spotlight on Samantha Clifford! Samantha will be running her first marathon, the TCS New York Marathon, as a SoleMate in November!

Why Girls on the Run?I am so excited to be running the marathon for Girls on the Run! I chose to run with GOTR after hearing about the organization from my 9-year-old cousin, Caitlin. Caitlin ran with a GOTR team this past spring and absolutely loved it! She and her mom would call me on their way home from practice and tell me all about the amazing girls and coaches that Caitlin was running with and learning from. Caitlin asked me to run with her this past May in the GOTR 5k. I was so inspired by all of the girls, parents, coaches, and friends that came out in support of running and building strong, confident girls.

As a lawyer who works with children, I am always looking for organizations that help young girls with confidence and self-esteem. Girls on the Run is such a perfect organization and I am so happy that it is out there to address such an important issue.

Is this your first marathon?I have run a bunch of half-marathons in the past, but this is my first marathon!

Favorite place to run? Central Park!

Favorite time of day to run?Around sunset.

Favorite post-run snack/meal?Scrambled eggs and an English muffin.

Favorite running accessory?Music!

Group or solo run? For short runs, I like to run by myself, but for long runs, I prefer running in a group. Strength in numbers when racking up those miles!

What shoes do you run in?Right now I am running in Brooks and I love them. In the past, I've stuck mostly to ASICS, which are also great.

Favorite non-running activity?My favorite non-running activity is cooking. I love to try out creative recipes or make ones up on my own.

Farthest distance you’ve run? I ran the New York Road Runners Marathon Tune Up earlier this month. Three loops of Central Park for a grand total of 18 miles!

Inspirational Quote/Words to Live By?This isn't exactly a quote but I like to live by the 10-10-10 rule. When I find myself upset/anxious about something, I try to put it in perspective by considering how I might feel about it in 10 minutes, 10 months or 10 years.

What’s your Myers-Briggs?Entertainer! (ESFS-A)

Thanks, Samantha! If you'd like to support Samantha in her fundraising efforts, you can visit her virtual fundraising page here.